Flashlight for rechargeable batteries



Aug. 8, 1950 M. MALKI Erm. 2,518,039

FLASHLIGHT FOR RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES Filed NOV. 22, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Aug. 8, 1950 M. MALKI ETAL A 2,518,039

FLASHLIGHT FOR RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES Filed Nov. 22, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Aug. 8, 1950 M. MALKI Erm. 2,518,039

FLASHLIGHT FOR RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES Filed Nov. 22, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS y@ w 4W ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 8, 1950 FLASHLIGHT FOR RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES Moises Malki, Boris Matzkin, and Aron Luis Goldman, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application November 22, 1946, Serial No. 711,734 In Uruguay July 25, 1946 2 Claims.

This invention relates to flashlights, and more particularly to flashlights adapted to be used in conjunction with small size storage batteries. In practice, the use of rechargeable secondary cells, that actually are small size electric accumulators, in flashlights, creates a number of practical requirements, not found in ordinary dry cell flashlights. This is not due t any externally different construction in the rechargeable cells, nor to any particular behaviour during discharge, since the characteristics of the small batteries are always adapted to the requirements of the flashlight. It is the recharging of the cell that involves an entirely new problem, which has to be solved in order to obtain a satisfactory service from the flashlight.

In general, the rechargeable batteries used in conjunction with flashlights are removed from the flashlight and placed in a charging device to effect their recharging. This involves the use of a spare battery, if the service cannot be discontinued, and the necessity of buying an eX- pensive charging set, or else the trouble of sending the discharged battery to a Shop equipped with the necessary apparatus.

From a consideration of these and other related factors, it may be concluded that a complete solution of the above mentioned drawbacks will be achieved if the flashlight itself provides for the recharging of its own storage battery, directly and without necessitating the removal of the cells from the flashlight, or resorting to the use of devices or instruments, the operation of which, is difficult for the layman.

Broadly speaking, the flashlight according to this invention includes, in addition to the control switch adapted to operate between the battery and the light projecting lamp, input means for the current from an external battery charging source, arranged on the flashlight body and accessible from outside, said current input means being electrically related with current limiting means, also adapted on the flashlight body and adapted to control the amount of current supplied to the battery within the limits established by the battery charging rate.

One of the principal objects of this invention is, therefore, to provide a flashlight for a rechargeable battery, which is adapted to effect the recharging of the battery without removing it from the flashlight, that is, keeping the bat- .tery in its normal operating position.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a flashlight having the characteristics of the preceding paragraph and being so simple in operation, as to make the process of recharging the battery very easy to perform even for persons completely lacking any technical knowledge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flashlight of the type mentioned, in which the battery charging means are simple, easy to assemble, and consequently, economical.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in connection with the charging means, a luminous signal adapted to serve as a battery charging signal.

mother object is to provide a flashlight provided with safety means adapted to the battery charging means and arranged to prevent a possible inversion of polarity between the battery and its charging current source.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a flashlight that, in addition to the above mentioned advantages, has an external shape and dimensions which do not detract from the practical advantages which should pertain to such a handy device as a flashlight.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, from the following description taken inA conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

Fig. l is a longitudinal section of a flashlight embodying this invention, on the line l-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the i'iashlight illustrated in Fig. l, on the line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same embodiment illustrated in the two previous ligure on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the same embodiment of the invention, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the flashlight illustrated in Figs. l to 4:, on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a lateral elevation of the same liashlight, unassembled.

The same reference characters are used to indicate like or corresponding parts or elements throughout the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, the flashlight includes a tubular body i adapted to house the secondary cell, or small size storage battery 2 in a battery compartment. rEhe front part of the tubular body, wherein is located a light projecting assembly compartment housing such an assembly, has a gradually expanding external shape, corresponding internally to an increase of diameter at a shoulder 34 on which lies the in- 3 sulating disc 5. This disc 5 has in its center a cylindrical hollow body 6 in which is housed a socket l for the light projection lamp 8. The cylindrical body 'i faces forward, and is retained at its front face against the smaller base of the reflector 3, this base being provided with a retaining rim 3" to 'this `end.

In its front and larger base, the reflector 3 has a second rim 3 which is pressed between the front edge of the flashlight body and a sheet or cover i made of glass, transparent :plastic rinaterial, or other light transmitting substance. 'Ilhe llashlight body is provided at :its front end with an external thread i3 to which vis lthreaded 'a front cover or cap i4 yprovided with an annular shoulder or rim I5 facing inwardlyrand-adaptcd to press against the transparent sheet 54', which in turn retains the reflector 3, as explained above. Thus, it is seen that the pressure exerted by the cap .i4 is used to retain iirmly in position both the reflector "t and the insulating 'disc L5.

yThe cap lll extends'ergterna'llyand rearwardly towards the 'external shoulder 'i8 ofthe flashlight body, leaving a gap in which .is housed the control ring is, which serves for a purpose "that will v'be explained below. A

vIn :the upper 'face of the disc '5 'are 'arranged two contact elements 9 and T9 formed by vrelatively 'thickwires bent in the 'form of an U of unequal arms, one of which extends through vthe insulating Vdisc "5 to contact "the corinectingl strips arranged in the lower face of saiddis'c, While the `other .is much shorter 'and extends only 'a '-ew millimeters into vvthe disc '5, which Vis provided for this purpose'with a 'cavity'35 (Fig. 1). A

The contact element 'lll vis connected at its longest arm lll with'a conductive strip i3 .which is connect'ed'in turn to the threadedisleeve 1' of the socket l. The 'other contact 'element 9 is spaced a Ashort distance .from the Contact 'element IU, and 'is connect'edthrough its long arm, which passes 'through the` Ydisc "5 with a conductive strip which is located on the inner face of said disc and "which is bent upwards `at 36',l so 'that when 'the disc '5"isinit`s correct position, bearng'aga'inst the shoulder 34, the bent resilient end 36" of the strip f36, engages under spring pressure with a longitudinal metallic` strip 31 housed in a suitable longitudinal groove I machined in -:the flashlight Ibody lI. "(see Fig. 4). The central'conta'ct piece l of the' lamp socket 1 bears' 'directly against 'the central. positive front terminal 24 of the cell 2, said cell being `pushed forward by the contact and pressure spring. l I', .which will be `ret'erred to in detail below. Saidcentral contact 1 'of the lamp socket 'l isalso electrically connected to a conductive strip 38, which, similarly to the strip 3B, has one end bent land resiliently pressed `against the end of the metallic strip 439 'that runs "lengthwise of the flashlight body, into an appropriate groove l".

'The electrical operative connection between' the contact elements 9 and l0, whichclosesthe circuit ofv the cell 2 and the light projecting lamp 8, is

"obtained by means of a connecting bridge '23.

flashlight body through a slot 45 (Fig. 6) adapted to enable the pin to effect the angular displacement required to shift from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, in which the bridge 23 joins the contact elements 9 and Il), to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, in which position lfther'e is noielectr'cal connectionb'etween'the contact elements '9 and Il), vandvi'ce versa.

Since the bridge supporting pin 29 is fixedly at- "tached to the control ring I9, the necessity of '.ipro'viding fan assembly system adapted to permit V'of the easy introduction of the pin into the slot 45 is apparent. Fig. 6 gives a clear illustration of such ais'ystem'as used in the present embodiment o'f the invention, since in that ligure the flashlight appears with its front portion unasfsernb'ledi The parts have been indicated with Roman-numbers from I to V, as follows: I indicates 4the ilashlight body l in conjunction with the battery 2 and all the elements of the rear part f "the ashllght; AI'lf fis 'the disc ass''el'll'llllyy comprising tl'le'discproper` 5, the contact'elernents '9 "and lill andthe lamp-socket T; is Lvtrie-control ring "I9,'together with pin 219, `spring 22 andthe connecting bridge 23; IV lis the reflector 3; and v is the front cap 14. l

ITo 'assemble the 'ashlight V'it "is necessary' to l'iirst 'place thev disc assembly II into the lbody I, lbeing'careful to place 'the resilient ends l Sii 'and '38" of the conductive's'tripst and Q8 respective- 'ly in `engagement"with Ithe metallic strips v"3"! and "39, which operation 'is facilitated by providing the flashlight body 1 lwithja 'guidemember 12 adaptedito engagea notch IIy of'thedisc'S. Fur'- thermore, the 'guidejlnember I2'v 'and notch {"l serve to prevent the disc 5 from 'rotating when `the switch 'formed by the velements 9, I0 and 23 is operated.

Once the assembly II is' correctly placed, the control ring assembly III `is located 'in place, to which endthe pinv'2'9 i'sinserted into the longitudinal slot 66 and pushed -down as far as lthe operating "s'lo'tull' Then, the reflector :IV Vand the assembly V, comprising 'the cap l'4y 'and the transparent sheet 4, can be correctly placed.

The rearv vpart of I the flashlight body 'has a 'circumferential inner `shoulder 49 `for preventing a possible rearward movement vofr the battery '2, andthe jvcons'equentyjfracture df the Ycl'rarge in'- v"cheating*lamp* 32; The longitudinal conductive strips 3l and l"3!! pass through appropriate Afiiotohes, not illustrated, 'in lthes'houlder 40.

At 'its rear end, wherein is 'located va "current input and limiting assembly-compartment housing 'such Aan assembly, the flashlight body is provided with ja shoulder 41 on which rests a vsocket supporting disco'r closure cap v42, retained by a resilient metallic ring V43v which nts into a 'circumferential 'groove d'4 `n'i'achin'ed in the inner surface of the flashlight 'body' l; IThis ri'ng 43, is interrupted "atv4`3', `so'that it niay 'be removed by reduci-ng its diameter Vwith the aid o'f an appropriate tool introduced between the groove 44 and the ring 43. It' willthen b'e 'possible' to remove the socket supporting ring Vv42.

To the socket supportingdisc'liZis fixed; in any suitable manner, aY conducting strip 48. The end 48' Lof'this strip engages under resilient pressure with the metallic stript?, electrically Vconnected to' 'the'conducting 'strip 36, which i's'c'onnected in 'turn to the contact element' 9 of the light projecting lamp switch assembly. The `strip 48 is `connected'tothe central contact S25 of the socket gli of the charging 'current firrdicating'iamp 32. The conductivestrip "3d is 'also "soldered the helical contact spring Il and to the end 29 oi' the Wire 29.

The lconductive strip 39 is connected at its rear end to the spring end M of the `conductive strip 41, connected directly to the charging current input terminal 28. The other charging current terminal 2l is connected through a conductive strip 2t to the external threaded sleeve of the lamp socket of the charging current flow indicating lamp` 32.

In electrical shunt With the charging current indicating lamp 32 is connected a resistor comprising a covered Wire 29 of high. specic resistivity, which is coiled around an insulator tube 30 that surrounds the lamp socket 25. The Winding is protected by a second external insulator tube 3l. One end 29 of the wire 29 is soldered, as above mentioned, to the conductive strip 3", the other end 29 of the Wire being connected directly, by soldering, to the external threaded sleeve of the lamp socket 25.

To prevent any possibility or inversion of pio-- larity, during charging, which rwould very likely ruin the battery 2, the terminals 2l and 29 are one pole sockets of different diameters.

At the rear part of the ilashlight body there is a hole 33 through which the light of the lament of lamp 32 is seen. The lighting of this lament is, in fact, an indication of the charging current flow.

To use the flashlight as a source of light, the control ring I9 should be rotated until the connecting bridge 23 joins the contact elements 9 and l), so that the circuit of the battery 2 and light projection lamp 8 is closed.

The battery 2 is charged by connecting the terminals 2l and 28 with the terminals of a di-u rect current source of appropriate voltage. This source may be a motor car storage battery. For a given voltage, the 'charging current will be regulated by the electrical characteristics of the lamp 32 and the resistor 29. The correct value of this charging current is, of course, determined by the particular characteristic of the battery 2.

We claim:

l. A flashlight for a rechargeable battery, comprising a rechargeable battery, a light projecting electric lamp assembly, a charging current input assembly, a three-shouldered compartmentalized casing having a light projecting assembly compartment, a battery compartment, and a charging current input assembly compartment, an insulating disc supporting said light projecting assembly, an insulating cap supporting said charging current input ,and limiting assembly, and a light transmitting cover, said insulating disc engaging a rst shoulder of said casing to define along with said cover the light projecting assembly compartment, one end of said battery engaging a second shoulder` of said casing dening along with said disc the battery compartment, and said cap engaging a third shoulder of said casing defining along with the shoulder engaging end of said battery the current input assembly compartment.

2. A flashlight for a rechargeable battery, comprising a rechargeable battery, la. light projecting electric lamp assembly, a charging current input assembly, a compartmentalized casing having three shoulders, a light transmitting cover at one end of said casing, a closure cap at the other end of said casing, means cooperating with the first of said shoulders to denne along with the cover the rst of said compartments, being a light projecting assembly compartment, the second of said shoulders coopera-ting with one end of said battery to denne along with said means the second of said compartments, being a battery compertinent, and the third of said shoulders cooperating With said cap to dene along With the shoulder cooperating end of said battery the third of said compartments, being a current input assembly compartment, said three compartments being contained Within said casing to form a unitary and compact iiashlight.

MOISES MALKI. BORIS MATZKIN. ARON LUIS GOLDMAN.

REFEREWCES @ETRE The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,145,586 Herold July 6, 1915 1,506,302 Hopkins Aug. 26, 1924 1,506,383 Hopkins Allg. 26, 1924 2,226,353 Wood Dec. 24, 1940 2,293,284 Emanuel Aug. 18, 1942 2,410,527 Schinske Nov. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 357,974 Great Britain 1 Sept. 28, 1931 

